Starlink hikes Nigerian subscription prices

Due to soaring inflation, SpaceX's satellite Internet service, Starlink, has almost doubled its subscription prices in Nigeria.

Nigerian subscribers received an email alerting them that Starlink's standard residential plan with a 1TB fair usage policy will now cost 75,000 Nigerian Naira (US$45.60), up from N38,000 ($23.10); however, the price for Starlink kits remains unchanged.

Many Starlink users took to social media to reveal the email Elon Musk's company sent them.

"Due to excessive levels of inflation, the Starlink monthly service price will increase," Starlink's email to customers said.

The company said existing customers will begin paying these new rates starting October 31, 2024, while new subscribers will be immediately subject to the revised pricing.

Regional roaming users, which use Starlink services outside their homes or workplaces across Africa, have been hit the hardest.

These users will now have to pay N167,000 ($101) per month, up from N49,000 ($30). International roaming will now cost a staggering N717,000 ($436) per month in Nigeria.

Starlink's pricing changes in Nigeria will come into effect on October 31, 2024, for existing and new subscribers. (Source:Starlink).

Starlink's Kenyan price drop

While Starlink has increased prices in Nigeria, it has introduced different incentives in Kenya to make pricing more competitive.

Recently, Starlink introduced a more affordable mini kit in Kenya priced at 27,000 Kenyan Shillings ($209) with speeds of up to 100 Mbit/s.

Starlink customers in Kenya also benefit from lower monthly subscription rates, such as KES4,000 ($31) for the mini plan and KES6,500 ($50.40) for the standard plan.

Furthermore, in August 2024, the company introduced a rental option allowing Kenyans to get its kits for KES1,950 ($15) per month.

This comes as Kenya's Internet service providers (ISPs) like Jamii Telecommunications and Safaricom's broadband arm have been upgrading their services to compete with Starlink.

It will be interesting to see how Starlink's price increase impacts its operations in Nigeria, considering that the West African nation was the first country on the continent to get Starlink services in February 2023.

As the company continues to expand in Africa at a rapid pace, local ISPs will be looking for ways to keep their market share.

Across Africa, Starlink is currently active in Burundi, Botswana, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Benin, Rwanda, Malawi, Mozambique as well as Zambia, Kenya, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Eswatini.

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— Matshepo Sehloho, Associate Editor, Connecting Africa